Saturday, February 14, 2009

Continuing on with my favorite Old Time Radio shows, we come to...

Richard Diamond
genre: detective/hardboiled


The setup was simple and predictable, but in the best way, because it worked. The title character, Richard Diamond is a private detective in New York City. His redhead girlfriend Helen Asher calls him on the phone where they exchange some witty banter about Richard coming over to her Park Ave. Apartment that night. A client showing up cuts the call short. Diamond goes through his ‘$100 a day plus expenses fee’ charge (which always shocks the client) and the case gets going. Somewhere along the way the 5th precinct’s Lt. Walt Levinson and Sgt. Otis Ludlum (think commissioner Gordon and a loveable but dimwitted detective Bullock from Batman) get involved
In the end the case is solved and Richard goes to Helen’s and sings a song.
This show was great at combining crime, humor, action, romance, and singing.

Follow this link to 52 free episodes of Richard Diamond Private Detective

If you liked Richard Diamond, I would also suggest Boston Blackie, Broadway is my Beat, Yours Truly Johnny Dollar, or Nero Wolfe

2 comments:

Rachel / Alex said...

Ah, Nero Wolfe! I used to watch the TV adaptation they did back in 2001 or so. Maury Chaykin was a great Wolfe, I'd say. Wish they'd show reruns of that.

Unknown said...

Blake Edwards wrote a lot of these episodes, they are among the best written of the genre. I would have also put the Howard Duff episodes of Sam Spade on the list of shows for fans to check out.

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